It’s Official! Galaxy Note 8 Launch Date Set For August 23

It turns out, the recent rumors about Samsung Galaxy Note 8 launch date were true. While many were predicting an IFA unveiling, The Bellhad learned from inside sources that the Galaxy Note 8 would be released on August 23. Samsung has now made it official! The Korean company has started sending out media invites for the next Unpacked event on August 23.

Image Source: Samsung Mobile / Twitter (screenshot)

Galaxy Note 8 launch event to take place in New York

The event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. ET at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City. Samsung did not mention that the event would be focused on the Note 8, but the teaser gives enough hints to get the Note fans excited. The teaser image included in a tweet by Samsung Mobile uses the tagline “Do bigger things.” It’s an indication for a larger display and more features than the current flagship models.

The Galaxy Note 8 is rumored to have a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display. It would be significantly larger than the ill-fated Note 7’s 5.7-inch display and slightly bigger than the Galaxy S8 Plus’s 6.2-inch screen. The Note 8 would have an Infinity display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, similar to that of the Galaxy S8. The invitation teaser shows the outline of a phone with incredibly slim top and bottom bezels. There are no side bezels.

The teaser also includes the S Pen stylus that would come with the Note 8. A recently leaked image of the new S Pen suggests that it would look similar to its predecessor. Previous reports have suggested that the stylus would support more pressure levels than before. The new stylus is also rumored to offer currency conversion and translation, as well as the ability to take digital notes without having to unlock the Note 8.

In its media invite, Samsung said it would unveil the “latest member of the Galaxy family” that would be “the ultimate multitasking device.” The company added that the new Galaxy phone was specifically designed for people “who move through barriers to do more of what matters to them.” The Note 8 could be the device Galaxy Note 5 users have been waiting for.

A few days ago, Samsung’s mobile chief DJ Koh revealed at a conference in Taiwan that the Note 8 would go on sale soon after the unveiling. The device would be rolled out in two phases. South Korea, the US, China, and the UK are expected to get the phablet in early September in the first phase. The second phase of the rollout would begin in early October in other markets.

How will Samsung differentiate it from Galaxy S8 Plus?

Ahead of the Galaxy Note 8 launch, the rumor mill has indicated that the phablet would be Samsung’s most expensive smartphone till date. It is expected to cost nearly $900 for the entry-level storage option and above $1,000 for the highest storage variant. It would be interesting to see how Samsung would justify the price tag, especially considering the phone’s design would be similar to the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus.

The phone is rumored to have the same Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895 processor that Samsung used in the Galaxy S8. However, it is expected to pack a higher 6GB RAM. The Chinese version of Note 8 may even feature 8GB RAM. Just like Galaxy S8, the upcoming device would have a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor because Samsung failed (once again) to integrate the feature into the display.

The biggest highlight of the Note 8 would be a dual camera system on the back panel. The device is rumored to feature two 13-megapixel sensors with OIS. The camera sensors will reportedly be supplied by Samsung Electro-Mechanics. Samsung last month unveiled ISOCELL Dual, along with three other camera sensors. The ISOCELL Dual is expected to be used in the Note 8.

Supply chain leaks suggest that the dual camera would be arranged horizontally on the device. Next to the camera setup will be the vertically arranged LED flash and heart rate sensor. The Note 8 is tipped to pack a 3300mAh battery, compared to the Galaxy S8 Plus’s 3500mAh battery pack. Other features include a dedicated button for Bixby, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Galaxy Note 8 launch (and success) will be a major milestone for Samsung

While the Galaxy S8 was a grand success, industry analysts will be closely monitoring the Note 8 sales because it is the real successor to the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7. The Note 8 sales figures would indicate whether the Note 7 fiasco has affected the Note brand, and to what extent. The success of Galaxy S8 suggests that consumers have forgiven Samsung for the last year’s debacle.

Last year, many experts suggested that Samsung should kill the Note line because its brand had lost the appeal. However, Samsung confirmed earlier this year that it was working on a successor to the Note 7 that would be safer, better, and more innovative than its predecessor. With the Galaxy Note 8 launch only about a month away, we will find that out soon.